The invention relates to a small contactor with a removable subset of auxiliary switches in which the contactor has two parallel rows of principal terminals, a base for mounting it on a supporting surface, an electromagnet movable armature and a fastening surface adapted for cooperation with the means of fastening of the casing of the subset. The latter includes a slide on which movable contact bridges are mounted. The contact bridges cooperate with fixed contacts that are linked to auxiliary terminals, and coupling means cooperating with the movable armature.
In prior art, the housing of the subset of auxiliary switches is coupled with the contactor, either on the front or a lateral face of the latter. When a group of auxiliary switches is stacked on the front face of a contactor, the depth corresponding to such stacking is increased and it is then not possible to make use of the assembly in boxes, such as those used in domestic equipments, the dimensions of which, once mounting has taken place, are not to exceed standardized dimensions.
When a group of auxiliary switches is mounted on a lateral face, perpendicular to the rows of junction terminals, it is no longer possible to place two contactors side by side and still comply with a uniform layout of the terminals, because a gap, which corresponds to the width of the group, will separate two neighboring contactors.